Jazz Hot magazine views about Fela and Afrobeat in 1981

Every year is celebrated a Fela Day (few weeks ago in Paris), proving that Fela Kuti's spirit is still gliding around, despite a very varied comprehension. Good occasion anyway to search in muzzicaltrips archives, and look at how evolves perception of african music along the years. Here's an article about Fela Kuti which reveals part of the perception of a jazz magazine from 1981 (Jazz Hot, first jazz magazine in Europe created in 1935).

Dane Belany - Motivations (1975)

(Sahara 1005).

Here's a unique musical project auto produced by Dane Belany and release in New York by Sahara label. Influences are clear: dedicated to Frantz Fanon, and lyrics from several songs inspired by Aimée Cesaire or David Diop (senegalese pan-africanist poet from the 50s).

Carnaval in Santiago de Cuba (1960s)

(Le Chant du Monde, LDX 4250).

Carnavals tour stops for sure in Cuba, through the release of this LP by french label Le Chant du Monde. Liner notes from the cuban writer Alejo Carpentier remind the historical background of original african and Spanish influences blending in Santiago, the second city founded in Cuba.

Presence Africaine Catalogue (1980)

Here's a particular Muzzicaltrips post for book diggers and african literature lovers... Just to have an idea on what was Presence Africaine catalogue in 1980. This Paris-based editor has been since its creation by Alioune Diop in 1947, a real amplifier for african and diasporic written forms of expression, novels poetry, or essays.

Colette Magny - Repression (1972)

(Le Chant du Monde - LDX 74476).

French singer Colette Magny became famous in the 60s thanks to her blues inspired voice and her non-aligned poetry. Her political commitment led her to interesting experiments with free jazz, including french spoken word.

Francois Tusques (piano), Bernard Vitet (trumpet), Beb Guerin (bass) here playing with Colette Magny are three of the main french free-jazz vanguardists with Michel Portal.

Meeting with Lansiné Kouyate and David Neerman

Kouyate-Neerman, Palmwine Mandingo Party, Nuits Sonores 2012.

This unique musical experience is based on a duo: Kouyate, balafon player from Kangaba in Mali, and Neerman a french vibraphone player. More than a cultural meeting, the dialogue between this two cousin instruments is here pretext to creative explorations in rhythm and melody. Taking roots in both jazz and mandingo tradition, the created atmosphere is definitely modern: although recorded in an analog studio, the second album integrates the balafon with breaks and vibraphone effects research. The title "Skycrapers and Deities" reflects perfectly the approach, linking up modernism and tradition, concrete and mysticism, human and god. 

I saw them live in 2011 as a great opening for Randy Weston, and this month during Palmwine Mandingo Party, which allowed them to fully and freely express their original transe music in front of a highly charged dancefloor... 

Meeting with Lansiné Kouyaté and David Neerman before the concert:

Synchro Rythmic Ecclectic Language (afrojazz 70s)

(SONG RECORDS SR 04).

This atypical afro-caribean jazzfunk band includes great musicians as George Edouard Nouel (keyboard), Louis Xavier (bass), Jo Maka (sax). A really groovy blend of influences...

Synchro Rythmic Ecclectic Language - Sipote:


Synchro Rythmic Ecclectic Language also released a LP on Moshe Naim label (MN 12007) on which full band is credited:
Jo Maka: sax
Louis Xavier: bass
Georges Edouard Nouel: keyboards
Saint-Yves Dolphin: perc
Jean-Yves Rigaud: violin
Gérard Curbillon: guitar
Gérard Philadelphe: vocals / perc
Steve Mac-Call: drumsFrank Valmont: vocals

Another afrojazz record likable on Muzzicaltrips HERE.

African Soul Band - Nande (70s obscure afrogroove)

(MD 001).

Rare private production realised in France. It cannot be considered as african music while listening to the  "occidental-sounding" arrangements including violins... but the singer may be from Senegal (he's singing a melody probably inspired by "lale kouma", a senegalese traditional song). Anyway, a really nice funky fusion tune by African Soul Band, which is the same band playing with malian singer  Niama Makalou on another obscure afrodisco 7 inch.

African Soul Band - Nande :

Afrodisco fan? Check this one here.

Les Espoirs de Coronthie (tradition and modernity in Guinea)

I had opportunity to meet Les Espoirs de Coronthie last week as they were having a concert at Satellit Café (Paris).

This band comes from Guinea and is composed of 14 musicians and dancers. They are all Soussou (Mandingo ethnic group), they come from Coronthie, a popular  neighbourhood of Conakry, and begun to play to together since they were young... a long musical trip from 1st Conakry "nijas" (musicians word corresponding to  improvised concerts done  in as many clubs as possible in the same night) to west african and european tours...

Los Machucambos - La Cumbia (1971)

Cumbia made in France... Even not being from Colombia, Los Machucambos deliver in this 7" very good versions of the 2 cumbia classics composed by Jose Barros: "La Piragua" (the canoe) and "El Pescador" (the fisherman). This trio was formed in the late 50s, and was based in Paris. They had international succes with various southamerican influenced songs. The name "Machucambos" comes from an indian name for the small animal (armadillo/tatou) whose carapace is used to make the charango, traditionnal 2x5 strings guitar from Bolivia.

Los Machucambos - La Piragua:

Me contaron los abuelos que hace tiempo 

navegaba en el Cesar una piragua

que partía del Banco viejo puerto

A las playas de amor en Chimichagua

 

Era la piragua de Guillermo Cubillos

Era la piragua, era la piragua (Bis)

Words come from an old story from Magdalena, native region of the composer. Guillermo Cubillos was a man who made a 12m length canoe called "La Piragua" to cross the river. The boat was so huge at this time (?) that it was a real center of attraction.

Los Machucambos - Allegre Pescador:

Va subiendo la corriente

Con chinchorros y atarrayas

La canoa de barenca

para llegar a la playa

 

La luna espera sonriente

Con su mágico esplendor

La llegada del valiente

Del alegre pescador

 

El pescador habla con la luna 

El pescador habla con la playa

El pescador no tiene fortuna

Sólo su atarraya

 

Another boat story with this  fisherman speaking with moon and beach, really unlucky, alone with his nets (it sounds better in spanish!)

Julia Cortes (Costa Rica)

Rafaêl Gayoso (Spain)

Romano Zanotti (Italy) (replaced Milton Zapata from Mexico)